Anambra State House of Assembly has passed a resolution calling on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to direct the Commissioner for Education to engage public, private, and mission schools in
addressing the exorbitant costs of textbooks, school uniforms purchase from exclusively designated vendors and mandatory extramural classes.
Angel Network News (ANN) reports that
the resolution was made following a motion moved by the Majority Leader and member representing Ekwusigo Constituency, Hon. Ikenna Ofodeme during the plenary session on Tuesday.
The majority Leader in his submissions stated that the current practices in Anambra State primary and secondary schools of using textbooks as workbooks, uniform purchase from exclusively designated vendor and mandatory extramural classes place undue financial burdens on parents and guardians, particularly for families with multiple children in the same school or classes.
Ofodeme argued that the trends are counterproductive and that the new introduction of textbooks and workbooks in one single volume especially is gradually killing the good culture of use of school libraries and families creating library in their homes.
The lawmaker further said that the practice prevents families from utilizing textbooks across siblings, compelling them to purchase new copies for each child, regardless of their financial ability, thereby deepening educational inequality.
“These practices negates the state’s efforts to alleviate financial pressures on parents in line with our commitment to affordable and accessible education for all. The education policies in Anambra State should foster inclusivity, affordability, and sustainability in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“These practices increase educational expenses unnecessarily, making basic education less accessible for financially disadvantaged families;
” These practices negates the state’s efforts to alleviate financial pressures on parents in line with our commitment to affordable and accessible education for all”. Ofodeme said.
Supporting the motion, Hon. Nobel Igwe (Ogbaru one), Hon. Obi Nweke (Anambra East), Hon. Augustine Ike (Nnewi North),
Hon. Golden Iloh (Ihiala two), Hon. Nonso Atuchukwu (Nnewi South One), and Hon. Jude Umennajiego (Onitsha South two) in their separate submissions described the motion as a life changing one and shared same experiences of exorbitant costs of textbooks and school uniforms from same vendor provided by the school.
The Speaker, Rt Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, who presided the sitting, commended the Majority Leader for sponsoring the motion.
Rt. Hon. Udeze suggested that the motion is good enough to be a law. He asked the committee on education and that of judiciary to look at the law establishing schools so as to do an amendment or a bill to regulate school practices.
The House adjurned and to reconvene on Tuesday 19th November 2024
